Laura Cordelia Blankinship diary entries:
Entries in Laura Cordelia's Diary, as transcribed by Miki Larson. The face page of the diary says: Presented to Mrs Cordelia Barnum by J F Barnum, Sturgis, Michigan, Jan 1st, 1892.
Entry of Friday, Jan 1, 1892 Stormy. It snows finally. Chicken for dinner. Libbie's Birthday. She is 50 years old today. (Note: Libbie is Nancy Elizabeth, so her birthday is 1/1/1842)
Saturday, Jan 2, 1892 Snowing. Lucy is sick. I have the work to do. I am thankful that I am able. Baking and getting ready for Sunday. (Note: Lucy is Lucy Sagan Green. She and John married in 1894 so don't know what their living arrangement is here).
Sunday, Jan 3, 1892 Merton (note: not quite sure if he is John's son or Lucy's) is up to Coloma (MI) spending Christmas and New Year.
Monday, Jan 4, 1892 Washing. Merton come home tonight
Tuesday, Jan 5, 1892 Washing and ironing and baking.Received a Christmas present from J. Fredendall,(Note: he may be the husband of Mary Cordelia, not positive,) a pair of pink slippers.
Wednesday, Jan 6, 1892 Sewing and knitting. (Note: a lot of pages are like this)
Thursday, Jan 7, 1892 Lucy is washing today, her first wash in some time.
Friday, Jan 8, 1892 All kinds of housework and knitting and reading.
Saturday, Jan 9, 1892 House work and mending stockings and thinking of Allens Grove Tuesday, 2/2 It is raining. Piecing calico.
Wednesday, 2/3 Got a letter from Annie. (Note: Lydia Ann Barnum Miner, my great grandmother) Finished setting (cant'read word) my star quilt together with new calico that John bought for me.
Thursday, 2/4 Been looking for company. They did not come. Friday, 2/5 Wrote a letter to Annie and Lula (her daughter). Baked bread and pieced calico.
Saturday, 2/6 Got a bad cold and cough hard. Finished John's mittens.
Sunday, 2/7 sick abed terrible cough did not sleep any all night. Monday, 2/8 Sick, no better. I think I have got the Gripp. Tuesday, 2/9 am no better I am abed a part of the time. Wednesday, 2/10 I am no better
Thursday, 2/11 Got a little sleep last night.
Friday, 2/12 Feeling some better. Knitting Fernie (?) a pair of mittens.
Saturday, 2/13 I am feeling better. The pain has left my side, it has been severe
Sunday, 2/14 feeling better my cough is hard yet but I can help do the work a little.
Monday, 2/15 It is cold hard weather. Lucy is making a Tidy for rocking chair, I am knitting lace.
Tuesday, 2/16 done some washing finished my lace and sewed it on my apron
Wednesday, 2/17 Finished my three weeks washing and commenced my matt.
Thursday, 2/18 done my big ironing this forenoon. To work on my matt
Friday, 2/19 to work on my matt
Saturday, 2/20 Mending satteen shirt for Merton and piecing calico.
Laura may have had a brother named George who was born about 1827 in New York. A person by that name was living in Richmond, McHenry, Illinois in 1850